What does the Australian education agency say about the missing Vietnamese student?

A portrait of Sunnie Nguyen, one of the Vietnamese students currently missing in Australia.

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Contact has been made with the student's family.

Today (January 18th) marks the 10th day since Sunnie Nguyen (17 years old, real name Nguyen Hoan Ngoc Anh) mysteriously disappeared in Australia. She is also the fifth Vietnamese international student to go missing in over a month. All of them attended Hamilton High School (Adelaide, South Australia), each disappearing at a different time, and police believe there is no connection between the disappearances.

Responding to a reporter from Thanh Nien Newspaper, a spokesperson for the South Australian Department of Education stated that they were aware of the cases of missing Vietnamese students. According to the spokesperson, all the students left their host families without permission. In each case, the South Australian Department of Education immediately contacted both the local police and the students' families in Vietnam to inform them of the situation.

Exclusive: Australian Education Agency speaks out about missing Vietnamese international student.

"To date, South Australian police have found no information or evidence to suggest the students are in danger," the spokesperson emphasized, adding that the investigation suggests some may have moved to another state. Police are also working with other agencies to help locate the missing Vietnamese students and ensure their safety.

According to the spokesperson, the South Australian Department of Education has contacted the families of the students in Vietnam. "If you have any information about the missing Vietnamese students, please contact South Australian Police," the spokesperson added.

Hundreds of Vietnamese people are studying in South Australia.

To study at the secondary level in South Australia, a spokesperson for the South Australian Department of Education stated that Vietnamese students can apply through the International Education Program. This program, launched in 1989 by the South Australian Department of Education, has attracted thousands of international students to date.

"Vietnamese people are one of the largest groups of international students in South Australia," the spokesperson confirmed.

Vietnamese students explore study opportunities in South Australia at an event held in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2023.

According to the spokesperson, hundreds of students from Vietnam come to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, each year. They are cared for by host families and also receive dedicated guidance from school staff. In 2023 alone, approximately 430 Vietnamese students studied at South Australian public schools through the international education program.

According to a spokesperson, the international education program is implemented in over 150 accredited public schools (including primary schools for ages 5-12 and secondary schools for ages 13-18) and other educational sectors across South Australia. The program has specific terms of service relating to the involvement of students, consulting firms, and host families.

"In addition, international students must also comply with visa regulations," the spokesperson noted.

According to statistics from the Australian Department of Education, 746,080 international students were studying in Australia as of September 2023. Of these, nearly 30,000 were from Vietnam, ranking sixth after China, India, Nepal, Colombia, and the Philippines.

Thanh Nien newspaper will continue to update the latest information on the case of the 5 Vietnamese students who went missing in Australia.

Overview of the case of the missing Vietnamese student studying abroad.

June 2023: Sunnie Nguyen arrived in Australia to study at Hamilton High School. She lived with a host family in South Plympton, a suburb of Adelaide, along with two other international students. Her daily routine consisted of going to school, having dinner, filming videos with her roommates, and occasionally working part-time at a nail salon 15 km from the school.

January 8, 2024: After having dinner with her host family around 7 PM, Sunnie returned to her room to rest. When the host checked her room at 11 PM, she had disappeared along with her backpack, laptop, some clothes, and several important personal documents. The host then tried to contact Sunnie, but her phone was switched off and her social media accounts had been deleted. Thirty minutes later, the host reported the student missing to the police.

January 11th: South Australian police revealed Sunnie was the fifth Vietnamese international student to mysteriously disappear, including one who had been missing for over a month. These incidents occurred between December 2023 and the present. Police also stated that the five disappearances (one of whom has been located) are unrelated. On the same day, Sunnie's close friend moved into her home and reportedly knew nothing about the student's mysterious disappearance.

January 18th: The South Australian Department of Education responded to a reporter from Thanh Nien Newspaper regarding the latest developments in the case of the missing Vietnamese students. According to the response, the Vietnamese students left their host families without permission, and the Australian education authorities have contacted their families. The students are not in any danger at this time.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/doc-quyen-cua-thanh-nien-co-quan-giao-duc-uc-noi-gi-ve-vu-du-hoc-sinh-viet-mat-tich-185240118121913125.htm